270 Alaskan Science Conference 



wintering area around Kasilof and Kenai is severely over- 

 browsed each hard winter. The Susitna moose population has 

 been building up in recent years but is now beginning to ex- 

 ceed the winter browse supply in years of deep snow. 



The remedy is simple: cut down the moose heard to the carry- 

 ing capacity of the winter range; but putting that remedy in 

 practice may be far from simple considering the uneven distri- 

 bution of hunting effort according to accessibility. A step in this 

 direction was taken this year by opening to hunting the Susitna 

 section of the Alaska Railroad and by lengthening the season on 

 the Kenai. 



Relationship of wildlife to land forms is especially pro- 

 nounced among ducks and geese. Table I (1) shows relative 

 densities of breeding waterfowl as determined from the aerial 

 transects: 



Table 1.— Density of Breeding Waterfowl 



Waterfowl per square mile 



A 



Region 1948 1949 1950 



Arctic Slope 3.9 2.5 2.6 



Interior— Innoko— Lower Yukon — 10.7 14.0 



Interior— Minto Lakes — — 8.7 



Kotzebue Sound— mainly river deltas — 36.2 30.2 



Yukon Delta — 16.5 17.4 



The pronounced difference between the Arctic tundra (3 

 waterfowl per sq. mile) and the delta areas (17 to 30 per mile) 

 provides a clue to the reasons for the contrast in productivity. 

 It also tells us the type of habitat with highest priority for 

 waterfowl management. Like deltaic formations the world 

 over, the Yukon Delta contains the concentrated fertility from 

 the whole drainage basin. 



With fresh-water fish, the myth of uncounted numbers has, 

 like the big game, been repeated in glowing terms. Actually the 

 fresh waters are relatively low in productivity when considered 

 as a year-round habitat. The huge runs of anadromous species 

 give the impression of great abundance in streams and lakes 

 accessible to salt water but these salmon and trout have been 

 feeding and made most of their growth in the sea. Land-locked 



